Method of making shoes



Dec. 3, 1940. J. A. CORDEAU METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Filed May 13, 1938 INVENTOR. fosep/z 4 Coraeau BY ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 3, 1940 METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Joseph A. C'ordeau, Portland, Maine Application May 1a, 1938, Serial No. 207,742;

3 Claims.

My present invention relates to a method for making footwear and in particular relates to the mulling of uppers.

In the manufacture of footwear, it has been 5 the practice to soften the leather for different purposes. For example, the use of box toes requires the use of steamers to condition the box 1 toe and likewise the uppers have been moistened in order to effect the saving in leather that is possible with a properly mulled upper which may be lasted a half size larger.'

While steaming and mulling both involve softening by moisture, those operations should not be confused because the former requires considerable heat to soften the impregnated box toes which heat must be avoided in the latter operation.

The problem of properly mulling uppers prior to their being pulled over their lasts is one that has been recognized as requiring the thorough treatment of the entire upper so that when they are pulled over and tacked to their lasts prior to lasting, the leather will not be injured with resultant imperfect or damagedshoes. It will be appreciated that the problem is distinct from problems presented by theuse of box toe stiffeners which are softened prior. to the pull-over operation and again softened prior to lasting.

It has been proposed that uppers may be properly treated in a chamber large enough so that a quantity of nested uppers could be suspended therein and mulled by circulating through the chamber warm, moist air. This proposal was unsatisfactory because of the initial high cost of such apparatus and the cost of its operation. It was further objectionable in that several hours were required to mull simultaneously the quantity of uppers suspended therein.

Because the uppers were nested for convenient suspension, the contact of leather and lining was unavoidable. While this relationship frequently resulted in the staining of the linings, more frequently it precluded the circulation of the moist air essential to thorough mulling. Another difficulty with that concept was that before the treated uppers could be assembled and pulled over, a considerable quantity of uppers would have become so dried that cripples would frequently result.

In accordance with my present invention, I assemble the uppers before mulling. Assembling of the uppers includes their attachment to the lasts at the heels by two tacks. The assembled uppers are then mulled by a draft flow of vapor from a steam source with the vapor at a temperature non-injurious to leather, linings, and the like.

During the mulling, the uppers are positioned by their lasts on a support so that the vapor flows upwardly between the upper and its last in intimate contact with the inside of the upper.

The effect of the vapor flow is more casual with the outer surface of the upper and this is desired. It will be appreciated that the outer surface is the finished surface and therefore is either more impervious to moisture or more easily adversely affected thereby than the inner surface.

In accordance with my invention, I am able to mull the entire upper very thoroughly in a short time.

In practise, two pairs of assembled uppers, are supported over a source of steam such as a conventional box toe steamer customarily located adjacent the pull over machines. With two pairs of assembled uppers exposed to the vapor, as one upper is pulled over, another upper becomes thoroughly mulled so that the operator always has uppers in proper condition for use without having more than a few minutes work ahead of him.

Because box toe steamers are invariably used,

I utilize the waste vapor therefrom to effect the mulling of the uppers in accordance with my invention.

In accordance with my invention, I am able to mull uppers rapidly without injury and at a low cost. .Because of the substantial saving in the cost of equipment and the efficiency and economy of operation, the potential economies of mulling may be fully realized.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated my invention to show a simple embodiment of the apparatus used and the methodical aspects of my invention. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an assembled upper. Fig. 2 shows an assembled upper in perspective.

toe, and

Fig. 6 is a schematic View of a typical installation.

In the manufacture of shoes, it has been customary to mull the uppers prior to their assembly. As I have stated above, in the present apparatus large quantities of uppers were simultaneously mulled for several hours.

Because of the size of the apparatus used, mulling had to be effected at a point remote from the pull over machine indicated at C in Figs. 5 and 6.

Similarly, assembling of the uppers was always effected intermediate the mulling apparatus and the pull over machine C to which the assembled uppers were delivered by suitable conveyors, as, for example, the trucks indicated at A.

The operator of the pull over machine C inserted box toes T prior to pulling the uppers over their lasts and as the box toes are impregnated it has been customary to provide a box toe steamer D adjacent each pull over machine C.

The dificulties with this procedure were that the mulling was not thorough and so much time elapsed during assembly and pull over operations that even thoroughly mulled uppers became too dry before they were pulled over their lasts.

In accordance with my invention, the uppers l are first assembled on their lasts 2 to which they are tacked as at 3 and 4. An assembled upper, as herein referred to, is an upper which requires only the addition of a steamed box toe T before it is ready to be drawn over its last. Prior to being pulled over, the upper I is loosely attached to and supported by its last 2 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

The assembled uppers are carried to the pull over machine C as in the truck A. In order to mull them thoroughly, I place the assembled uppers on a support indicated at B in Fig. 3 over the box toe steamer D.

The support B which may be most clearly seen in Fig. 3 is an open front unit adapted to be placed over a box toe steamer D and consists of end walls 5 and 6, a rear wall I and a reticulated top 8 to support the assembled uppers in exposure to the draft flow of vapor from the box toe steamer D. While any suitable material may be used for the top 8, screening affords the best support for the assembled uppers.

Preferably the end walls are provided with windows 9 and the rear wall 1 has a window I0 so that the operator may easily see the box toes.

The box toe steamer D represents a conventional. structure. While any heating means may be used, I have indicated at H a steam conduit under the control of the valve l2.

While it will be appreciated that the temperature of the box toe steamer must of necessity be too high for use in mulling uppers, the open front of the support B effects a draft flow of the vapor at a temperature non-injurious to leather, lining, and the like, permitting the mulling of the uppers to be effected by the vapor originally used at a temperature adequate to steam the box toes.

It is not, of course, essential that the source of vapor be a box toe steamer although this source is preferred because of the economy permitted both in the saving of space and the cost of operation.

It is essential that the draft flow of vapor be at a temperature non-injurious to leather and I have found that temperatures in the range of F. to F. are satisfactory.

As will be appreciated from Figs. 3 and 4, the assembled uppers are positioned on the reticulated surface 8 so that the draft flow of vapor strikes the bottom of the lasts 2 and the lower edges of the uppers l and continues upwardly as a draft flow between the uppers and the lasts in intimate contact with the entire inner surface of the uppers. While the outer surface of the uppers is effected by the vapor, its contact therewith is so casual that sensitive finishes are not adversely affected.

The draft flow of vapor efiects a rapid and thorough mulling of the upper and lining. I prefer to maintain four assembled uppers in exposure to the vapor. As shown in Fig. 6, this permits one of the uppers to become thoroughly mulled during the time required to pull over an assembled upper in the pull over machine 0, to place a pulled over upper in the truck A and to take from the truck A an assembled upper and place it on the support B. In practice, the assembled and mulled upper is taken from the right hand end of the support B (as viewed in Fig. 6) and the remaining three uppers are moved by the operator leaving a place at the left hand end of the support B for the unmulled upperr I am therefore able to effect a thorough mulling of an upper in the time taken by the operator to insert a steamed box toe, to pull over similar to the assembled uppers as shown in the 3 drawing.

In accordance With my invention, I am, therefore, able to mull uppers thoroughly and rapidly and as this may be conveniently effected adjacent the operator and at a pace consistent with his rate of work, footwear damaged in the pull over machine is virtually eliminated. My invention also avoids the damaging of the uppers by soiling and like difficulties commonly experienced in mulling of uppers so that the potential advantages of mulling may be fully realized, substantially without cost to the manufacturer.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of preparing shoes for lasting that consists in assembling an upper on a last by tacking said upper to the rear of said last, in exposing said assembled upper on its last to a draft flow of vapor so that a portion of said vapor flow continues as a draft flow between said upper and said last in intimate contact with substantially the entire interior surfaces of said upper to mull thoroughly said upper and in pulling said mulled upper over said last and in attaching said upper to said last to hold it in its pulled over position.

2. That method of making shoes which consists in assembling uppers on lasts, in mulling said assembled uppers by exposing each of them to draft flow of vapor so that a portion of said vapor continues as a draft flow between each of said uppers and said lasts in intimate contact with substantially the entire inner surface of each of said uppers and a portion of said vapor casually contacts the outer surface of said upper, in pulling a mulled upper over its last and in maintaining a sufficient quantity of assembled uppers in exposure to said vapor to effect the completion of the mulling of one assembled upper during the interval required to pull over corporation of the box toe by exposure to a flow of vapor so that a, portion of said vapor flow continues as a draft flow between said upper and said last to contact with substantially the entire interior surface of said upper.

JOSEPH A. CORDEAU. 

